[NLA] Does poor literacy equal poverty?

[Andres Muro]

I think that you got it. The more appropriate question is: Does poverty cause poor literacy? I think that here you do have both correlation and causation. If this is so, there are very important political implications to this argument that are often ignored. 

In essence, if poverty does cause low literacy, it does not suffice to improve teaching methods to address low literacy. You need interventions that address the social conditions of the learners as well. This brings me back to the question that Tom Stich posted, about NCSALL and my response to him.

He wanted to know if NCSALL's work was benefitting practitioners. I stated that in my opinion, it didn't because they were not connecting the social to the pedagogical. This is, in my opinion  is central to literacy, and a very important political issue. If we understand that social conditions impact access to literacy, then we need to address those, to cause change. However, most literacy work has focused on changing practice w/o exploring and understaning the social contexts. 

There is existing research that connects social context with pedagogy and interventions. But as long as the leading researchers in the field largely ignore this research change will not emerge. A couple of works that I would encourage people to explore are Within Our Reach, by Elizabeth Shore, and Nickled and Dimed by Barbara E.

What do you all think??

Andres

>>> clc at qn.net 12/17/02 09:00AM >>>
List,

Let us not start to confuse correlation with causation.  Yes, there may be a
statistical correlation over the entire population correlating poverty and
low-lit. skills, BUT we are not observing causation (one causing the other).  Are
you claiming low lit. skills CAUSE poverty?  If so, that supposition is disproved
by just one financially well-off student.  In the reverse, we need to find just
one person who was born well-off who needs to improve literacy skills as an adult.

>   If you read the NALS I think it is
> clear that poorer people are less literate (using their scales).
>

Vilvi Vannak
Columbus, OH

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